Breakfast on the Farm

There is so much to say about those photos of above and I don't know where to start.

So I'll just say it was a drizzly overcast day that turned out to be one of my favorite assignments from the year.

Makes me want to start a farm family story.

Cheshire Cat

One of the things I missed about living at home is having pets. My mom and her boyfriend left to visit his family in Cleveland. I became the master of the cats. Actually I was their slave. They meowed I let them out. They scratched, I let them in and they ran to the food dish. They meowed more making sure I knew their dish was empty. Then they fought and I had to separate them.

Then I realized why I don't own pets. They are just to much work.

I made a new friend though. Her name is Tigger, she was the one being picked on at the food dish.

I found her in my room and she was too cute not to take a photo of. One problem. I was spotted.

So I did what any journalist would do, I sat and waited.

Animals are like children, keep the camera in their face long enough and they forget you're there. Which brings me to my next blog post where I was licked to death by a baby calve. Stay tuned.

Bob and Nikki Paschall

I made my usual weekend trip to Traverse City to work for Dan Stewart Photography to shoot the wedding of Bob and Nikki Paschall.

My wedding day journey typically starts with me waking up at 8 a.m. and being on the road for my two and half hour journey north. I should also mention that I usually don't sleep the night before because of nerves. I often toss and turn dreaming of malfunctioning cameras, bridezillas, rain, or not waking up on time. Yikes!

My biggest fear though is meeting the couple. Dan meets with all of his clients before hand and being the intern who doesn't live remotely close to Dan I don't have that luxury.

Why is this such a fear?

Because you can't make happy pictures of people who aren't happy. Well you sort of can but it's essential like asking a chemist to make COKE without sugar. It's just not as good.

Back to the story.

Dan and I arrive at the Park Place Hotel where the girls are getting ready and also where the reception is being held. As Dan introduces me to Nikki I extend my handout for a formal greeting and denies my request, but insists she is a hugs person instead.

Right away from her smile and enthusiasm I new this wedding was going to be a breeze.

The nerves settled and the wedding went on.

Independence Day

This is what happens when you add too much salt to your beer.



Vena and the girls had their sparklers while the guys opted for mortars. For those of you who might now know what a mortar it's basically the real thing. They are loud, beautiful and of course a little bit dangerous.

It was amazing to spend the weekend back in my hometown with my friends. The food, yard games, drinking, icing, music and storytelling is already missed.

Cleveland: Pre-LeBron Drama

My friends and I ventured to Cleveland to celebrate Chris'(the guy in back)24th birthday more than a month ago. We visited the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and roamed the bars of Cleveland. I surprised at how clean and safe the city was, especially compared to Detroit.

Not living in the metro-Detroit area I rarely get to see my friends who are a large piece of life. I really do miss them. The one downfall of shooting weddings is working weekends because everyone else has them off.

Six Column Victory

Mount Pleasant's Brittney Horan celebrates after scoring the the first run of Saturday's against Swan Valley.

It's kind of vain, but I love seeing my images in print. Especially when they take up an entire front page.

Rosebush Elementary Closing

I thought I published these, but I found it in my draft box with no body copy which I spent at least an hour on a few weeks ago. So here we go again.

As I walked into the small elementary school in Rosebush, Mich., just north of Mount Pleasant, I could feel the tension.

Some wanted me there and greeted me with punch and cookies. A woman approached me and asked why the paper wasn't around when the school was fighting its battle to stay open.

What do I say? I'm just a freelance photographer and in one way I feel for them. They are losing 60 years of history. It's the type of school where Mrs. Teacher taught your older brother, your mom and she plays euchre on the weekends with your grandmother who attended the school when it first opened.

Despite some of the families having to break six generations of tradition the other part of me feels this is the right thing to do.

Economically the school district is in a bind like many others in the country. Being in Michigan with the current economy only makes the situation worse. Everyday a newspaper in a local town some where is writing about X-school closing, or Y-cutting Z-jobs. Everything and everyone seems to be cutting and consolidating.

Looking at this situation I think to myself, it could be worse.

Not everyone sees it this way and I understand the pain. But by closing the school only two jobs will be cut in the school district. All of the Rosebush's teachers have been relocated with in the district. The two jobs were going to be cut regardless according the superintendent. More jobs were at risk if the school stayed open.

Again not everyone sees it this though.

I stood in the library analyzing what to say. She was awkwardly waiting for me to replay.

What do I say?

I can see the pain in her eyes, she doesn't have to say a word. I know exactly what she's thinking.

She's angry and drawing impatient.

I swallow hard and utter "I'm sorry."

The hardest part of being a journalist is holding your tongue when you clearly see the right and the wrong.